Idaho
Books | Fiction / Literary
3.6
(149)
Emily Ruskovich
LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning debut novel about love and forgiveness, about the violence of memory and the equal violence of its loss—from O. Henry Prize–winning author Emily RuskovichWINNER OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BOOK AWARD • WINNER OF THE DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BUZZFEED Ann and Wade have carved out a life for themselves from a rugged landscape in northern Idaho, where they are bound together by more than love. With her husband’s memory fading, Ann attempts to piece together the truth of what happened to Wade’s first wife, Jenny, and to their daughters. In a story written in exquisite prose and told from multiple perspectives—including Ann, Wade, and Jenny, now in prison—we gradually learn of the mysterious and shocking act that fractured Wade and Jenny's lives, of the love and compassion that brought Ann and Wade together, and of the memories that reverberate through the lives of every character in Idaho.In a wild emotional and physical landscape, Wade’s past becomes the center of Ann’s imagination, as Ann becomes determined to understand the family she never knew—and to take responsibility for them, reassembling their lives, and her own.FINALIST FOR: International Dylan Thomas Prize • Edgar First Novel Award • Young Lions Fiction Award “You know you’re in masterly hands here. [Emily] Ruskovich’s language is itself a consolation, as she subtly posits the troubling thought that only decency can save us. . . . Ruskovich’s novel will remind many readers of the great Idaho novel, Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping. . . . [A] wrenching and beautiful book.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)“Sensuous, exquisitely crafted.”—The Wall Street Journal“The first thing you should know about Idaho, the shatteringly original debut by O. Henry Prize winner Emily Ruskovich, is that it upturns everything you think you know about story. . . . You could read Idaho just for the sheer beauty of the prose, the expert way Ruskovich makes everything strange and yet absolutely familiar.”—San Francisco Chronicle“Mesmerizing . . . [an] eerie story about what the heart is capable of fathoming and what the hand is capable of executing.”—Marie Claire“Idaho is a wonderful debut. Ruskovich knows how to build a page-turner from the opening paragraph.”—Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
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More Details:
Author
Emily Ruskovich
Pages
336
Publisher
Random House Publishing Group
Published Date
2017-01-03
ISBN
0812994051 9780812994056
Community ReviewsSee all
"A riveting novel on uncertainty and absence- the absence of memory, of reason, of closure. The characters were incredibly genuine, and the lack of closure in this novel, the openness, the lacking of it, is so true to real life. So many people never get answers, so many leave themselves behind in the course of life, love, abuse, and there is nothing left but to keep going, looking both back and forward. "
"Not bad but not great"
N H
Natalie Huneault
"3.5/5stars"
L F
Lisa Francine
"Tried to read Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping first because this was supposed to be literary memorial to it. I hated that book and put it down after about 20 pages. So, I thought this would be better because it was new — maybe I was jaded by it being out of date? No. I hated this book, too. All of the reviews about the prose? This lady just lists and lists and exhaustively LISTS nouns, verbs, feelings, memories. Worse than Hawthorne spending 32 pages on a god damn door. It’s supposed to be melodic and whimsical and romantic and it’s nothing but mundane and repetitive and awful. I hate that I finished this book — seemed like it was going dark and twisty and delicious. 0/5 stars. So do not recommend. "
"As an Idahoan, I was excited for a book titled for my home. The beginning of this book, was full of mentions to places I love, and histories about my family that allowed for me to connect to it. This book is a whole new mystery, with multiple perspectives, and a devastating story that only takes you deeper and deeper in. The character are mysteries, and all sorts of heartbreaking backgrounds, will lead you to fall into the forest that is Idaho. Not going to lie, not everyone is going to love this book, but if you give it a chance you might in fact like it more than you expect. Go in with an open mindset and you never know."